Leaf-turner



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

- P. WIGAND.

LEAF TURNER No. 584,440. Patented June 15, 1897.

v/ MW (No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2. P. WIGAND.

LEAF TURNER.

No. 584,440. Patented June 15,1897.

ygjZW W 674; M04.

UNITED STATES PATENT GEETQE.

FERDINAND WIGAND, OF BROOKLYN, NE\V YORK.

LEAF-TU RN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 584,440, dated June 15,1897'.

Application filed October 26,1896- Serial No. 610,134. (No model.)

To (LZZ whom it 77w, concern:

Be it known that I, FERDINAND WIGAND, of Brooklyn, in the county ofKings and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Leaf l urners; and I do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in music-leaf turners speciallydesigned for turning single leaves of sheet-music as distinguished fromsheets bound up in book form; and it has for its object to provide adevice that shall be simple in construction and quick in action, and onewhich will permit the performer to turn his music so hastily andpromptly as to prevent any interruption in time or execution.

The invention consists in certain novel details of construction andcombinations and arrangements of parts, all as I will now proceed todescribe in the following specification, and set forth the particularfeatures of novelty in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front view of the device,showing some of the music-leaves turned and others ready to be turned.Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view. Fig. 3 is a section on the line x at,Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a View looking at the under side of the base. Fig. 5is a detail perspective view of one of the leaf-holders.

Similar letters of reference in the several figures indicate the sameparts.

In the drawings the letter A indicates a box or casing constituting abase upon which the device stands and in which are located some of theworking parts of the device. Mounted on this base is a frame consistingof the two uprights B B, united at the top by the cross-piece O.

D D are a series of rods, preferably circular in cross-section, whoseupper ends extend through holes in the cross-piece O, and may, ifdesired, be secured by nuts 0, the lower ends of the rods being slightlyreduced and passed through the top of the base and held on the underside by nuts 0 Connected to these rods, so as to turn freely thereon andalso have a slight vertical movement, are a series of leaf-holders E,the connection consisting, preferably, of metal strips 6, secured to theleaf-holders at one end and at the other bent about the rods D, asshown, three of such connections being employed on each holder.

The leaf-holders are substantially L-shaped in cross-section and areformed of metal strips of suitable length bent longitudinally along acentral line, thus forming the two sides 6 e Secured at one end to oneof the sides of the holder E is a spring holding finger or plate F,whose free end is adapted to be held down against the face of the holderbybein g slipped behind a catch on the other face of the holder. Asimple manner of forming such a catch is by slotting the face of theholder at the lower end and turning up the end at right angles, as shownat d. The spring-fingers may be provided with a knob or button d, whichmay be grasped to aid in locking and unlocking it.

NVound about the upper end of the rods D are springs G, one end of whichis secured to the rods and the free end of which bears against theholders E, the effect of the springs being to turn the holders from leftto right about the rods.

Within the base A, supported at each end in the ends of the box, is arod or shaft H, the rod being also centrally supported by the lugs h,secured to the top of the base. Upon this red are pivotally supported aseries of key-levers J, the number corresponding with the number ofleaf-holders, in the present instance six, which work in slotsj in thecasiu g. At their outer ends the levers are provided with finger-piecesj and on the upper sides are formed with the extensions J having anupwardly-curving front face and slotted or recessed, as at J Thekey-levers are normally held elevated by means of the springs J and areprevented from rising too far by a bar or plate J extending across thetop of the casing.

T o prevent the holder being carried too far, a series of stops K areprovided, against which the holders strike, and these steps are sopositioned as to permit the holders to turn but a half-revolution, whichis sufficient to turn the leaf far enough. \Vhen the sheets have allbeen turned and it is desired to bring them back to starting position,this can be done by grasping the holders and turning them from left toright, the lower end of the holders riding up the upwardly-curvedextension on the key-lever and dropping in the recess, in which positionit will be held until the key is again depressed.

Sliding across the front of the base is abar L, formed with slots Z,which when in line with the slot in base permit the keys to be depressedfar enough to release the holders, but when the bar is moved to theright the slots are brought out of line and the key-levers cannot bedepressed far enough to release the holders, whereby the sheets may notbe accidentally turned.

As before stated, the holders are loosely connected to the rods, andtherefore will be permitted a slight vertical movement on the rods,compressing the springs at the top of the rods. This vertical movementis suiticient to permit the end of the holder to clear the stops andpermit the holder to be turned about the rod to increase the tension ofthe Springs when this is necessary, as will be readily understood.

Connected to the upright at each side are extensible supports M forsupporting the sheets of music that extend beyond the holder.

The operation of the device will now be understood.

The holders being turned to the right are I held in that position byreason of the lower end of the holder dropping in the recess in thelinger-key. The sheets of music are then placed in the holders with theinner edges square against the face or side of the holder and theholding-plate clamped tightly upon the sheet and locked. It will of course be understood that the first sheet of music is placed in the firstholder on the left, the second in the next to the right, and so on. Nowwhen it is desired to turn the sheet of music all that is necessary tobe done is to strike the key corresponding to the holder having thatsheet, the holder is released from the recess in the key-lever, thespring at the top of the rod asserts itself and turns the holder to theleft, carrying the sheet of music with it.

The device, it will be noted, simple, quick in action, and compact inform and will accommodate sheets of music of different sizes.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. In amusic-leaf turner the combination with the base, the rods carriedthereby, the holders L shape in cross-section pivotally mounted on saidrods, springs for rotating said holders from right to left and [inger-keys for locking the holders against rotation; substantially asdescribed.

2. In a leaf-turner for turning single unbound leaves of music, &c., thecombination with the base, the rods mounted thereon, the leaf-holders,right-angular in cross-section and provided with a springholding-linger, substantially as long as the holder, and also providedwith a catch for holding the linger against the face of the holder, thesprings for rotating the holders, and the linger-keys; substantially asdescribed.

In a leaf-turner for turning single unbound leaves of music 850., thecombination with the frame, the rods carried thereby, the holdersmounted loosely thereon, to turn freely about the rods, and also have aslight vertical movement thereon, the springs encircling the upperportion of the rods, for turning the holder from right to left about therods and for depressing them when raised, the key-levers formed with therecesses into which the lower edge of the holder will be forced by thespring and locked when turned to set position; substantially asdescribed.

&. In a leaf-turner for turning single unbound leaves of music, thecombination with the frame, the rods carried thereby, the holdersmounted thereon, formed of metal and right-angular in cross-section, ofthe spring holding-linger secured at one end at or near the upper end ofthe holder, and a catch for holding the finger against one face of theholder formed by slotting and bending up the lower portion of theopposite face; substantially as described.

FERDINAND \VIGATND. \Vitnesses:

HENRY linnnmwo, JOHN l BUnLnuur.

